Cities Inspire the Impossible

I recently stumbled upon two unbelievable projects.

Both are impossible undertakings.

James Gulliver Hancock is attempting to draw every single building in New York City.

Jason Polan is attempting to draw every single person in New York City.

James has drawn 200 building so far. Out of 720,000+ buildings.

Jason has drawn 1,900 people so far. Out of 8.4 million people.

Both have achieved less than 1% of the goal they’ve set out to accomplish.

Let’s be clear: These are impossible goals. Neither will come even close to achieving what they’ve set out to do.

But that doesn’t matter.

These are two artists, two explorers. They are on the kind of pursuit that keeps us alive. The one that gives us a reason to get up tomorrow and inch closer and closer to the impossible.

This is what happens when you live in a city.

You flip the overwhelming chaotic mass of humans and twisted steel and put it to work for you. You break up tremendous sums — 8 million people, nearly a million buildings — into individual units.

You stand in awe of each and every one of them. And if you’re ambitious enough (and a bit crazy), you make the decision to try and capture each one in your own unique way.

It’s an experiment in examination. The lab just happens to be the city.

Where else could we inspired to tackle such a pursuit than in a city?

…and dare I ask — “What other city but than New York?”

I'm building Bamboo, a user acquisition agency focused on helping mobile commerce products grow. 
Follow me on Twitter: @DannySauter   
Get in touch: sauterdj@gmail.com